Adrian Buck’s Reviews > On Liberty and The Subjection of Women > Status Update

In England, rule has to a great deal substituted itself for nature. The greater part of life is carried on, not by following inclination under the control of rule, but by having no inclination but that of following a rule. pg 205 What would make of Hungary's relationship with rules?

"Like a man when he chooses a profession, so, when a woman marries, it may in general be understood that she makes choice of the management, and the bringing up of a family, as the first call upon her exertions..." pg 185 - JSM stumbles at the last hurdle in arguing for the equality of women.

"But in history, as in travelling, men usually see only what they already had in their own minds; and few learn much from history, who do not bring much with them to its study."

"...owing to the absence of any recognised general principles, liberty is often granted where it should be withheld..." so, rationalism in politics more important than liberty.

As Macintyre says he doesn't establish a universal principle, just argues from liberties that the English already enjoyed to restrict legislation.

"but the only unfailing and permanent source of improvement is liberty, since there are as many possible independent centres of improvement as there are individuals." Is this the core of Mill's argument?

JSM anticipates Nietszche's criticism's of Christian morality, and the difficulties of policing debate on the Internet.

These days arguments about the liberty of thought and discussion are more to do with manufacturing consent that stifling dissent.